Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to computers, and more particularly to ejection bay structures for portable computers for receiving and ejecting computer components such as floppy drives, hard drives, batteries, and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Portable computers, such as laptop and notebook computers, typically have one or more drive bays for interchangeably receiving computer components, such as floppy drives, hard drives, CD and DVD drives, batteries, LAN communication devices, modems, RAM memory, FAX communication devices, and so on. Often, it is difficult for the user to readily and easily swap and/or remove components from the bays. Typically, a peripheral component, such as a floppy disk or hard drive, is retained in a drive frame by a spring-loaded latch that is mounted in the computer adjacent the bay. A release button extends out of the computer housing and is operable to release the latch when pressed in order to remove the peripheral component. When the release button is pressed, the drive frame moves toward the bay opening under bias force to thereby expose a portion of the drive frame outside of the computer housing. The drive can then be pulled out of the bay. This method forces a user to use both hands to eject the drive, e.g. one hand to activate the release button and the other hand to pull the drive.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a drive bay mechanism that reduces or eliminate exposure of the drive frame and requires only one hand to eject the drive or other computer component.
According to one aspect of the invention, an apparatus for inserting a computer component into, and removing the computer component from, a bay of a computer, includes a first frame member adapted for movement between retracted and extended positions. The first frame member has a pull bar adapted for grasping by a user for moving the first frame member to at least the extended position. A first locking member is adapted for movement with the computer component and a second locking member is stationary with respect to the first frame member. The first and second locking members are mutually engageable when the first frame member is in the retracted position for preventing movement of the computer component out of the bay. Movement of the first frame member from the retracted position toward the extended position causes the first and second locking members to disengage and release the computer component from the bay.
According to a further aspect of the invention, a portable computer comprises a computer housing and a bay formed in the computer housing. A first frame member is located in the bay and moveable between retracted and extended positions with respect to the computer housing. The first frame member has a pull bar adapted for grasping by a user for moving the first frame member to at least the extended position. A computer component is removably positioned in the first frame member and a first locking member is connected to the computer component. A second locking member is stationary with respect to the first frame member. The first and second locking members are mutually engageable when the first frame member is in the retracted position for preventing movement of the computer component out of the bay. Movement of the first frame member from the retracted position toward the extended position causes the first and second locking members to disengage and release the computer component from the bay.